OSCARS: Do we stand a chance at all?

The first Oscar nomination India got was for Mehboob Khan’s Mother India. And even the memorable yesteryear classic failed to bring home the coveted

statuette. Later, Salaam Bombay also was nominated, though it, too, failed to come up trumps at the Oscars. Barring these two films no other film sent by the FFI has even won a nomination. Bandit Queen, our best bet, perhaps at bringing home the trophy, was sent by the FFI, but had to be withdrawn on court orders...

What plagues our movies at the Oscars? Obviously, either our films lack International appeal or there is something terribly wrong with the selection committee of the FFI. Or perhaps both. Prominent film industry leaders comment on the issue...

CHANGE IS IMMATERIAL
Shakti Samanta
SAYS the president of the Film Federation of India, "The FFI has been selecting films on the basis of whoever attends the selection committee meetings. Those who have no time and are busy don’t attend, that’s been the practice for years.

Even if we set up a separate committee to select films, how will it help unless the members attend? A lot again depends on what other members of the Federation want. But the practice is that two representatives of each affiliated body will form a body to select the films for the Oscars. Unless all members of the Federation want it to be changed I can not change it. In any case, there is still time for the 2002 Oscars. We will decide about it later."

Few films have international appeal
Shyam Benegal
THERE are two issue involved. One is that the FFI should select films that international audiences will relate to. Very few of the total number of films made in a year have international appeal. Satyajit Ray’s films had this quality. Secondly the film selected by the FFI should have been released in the West so that members of the Oscar Committee have had the chance to see it. This helps. But the FFI takes these considerations very casually. They should keep in their mind that whichever film they select should be able to compete with the best films made by other countries.

Time for a relook at selection procedure
Govind Nihalani
THERE is a need to review the whole procedure of selecting films for the Oscar awards. There is no point in sending the usual commercial hit. Films with fresh ideas that are handled with a passion and commitment should be sent. But here provincialism takes precedence. We have to view films dispassionately. We must send films that suit the country. Each festival or award has a personality of its own. One has to consider it. The FFI should consider why its selected film does not get nominated. There is no point in repeating the same mistake over and over again. Whenever our films do not get nominated in the category of foreign films, we talk about it and promptly forget all about it. In my opinion, the FFI must set up a committee of expert filmmakers numbering three or five who know what type of films ought to be sent for nominations in this category.

Our films need to be promoted too
Amit Khanna

I agree that some times, the FFI’s choices have been wrong. Earlier, there used to be a demarcation of commercial and parallel cinema. Now, that gap has been bridged. Yet, the choices remain bad. It is not enough to select a film. It must also be promoted well in the USA. Shekhar Kapur says a lot of public relations work and lobbying is needed to promote a film. Producers from other countries who have entered their films in the foreign language category spend a lot of money hosting parties and supplying VHS copies of their films to all members of the Oscar Committee. They even advertise their films in the papers in the USA. It involves a lot of money to promote the selected film. Selecting films through regional representatives should be avoided.

Who cares for the Oscars?
Mahesh Bhatt
I don’t give a damn for the Oscar. I make films for the Indian audience, to suit the Indian tastes and idiom, which is unparalleled in in the world. We don’t need recognition from the West that a film is great. I don’t know why we seek their blessings for our films year after year. They have a different outlook on life. If you covet their award you must play their game, in a manner that caters to their tastes and liking.

Where’s the quality?
Vidhu Vinod Choprpa
I had the distinction of having my short film, Encounter with Faces getting a nomination. My film Mission Kashmir ought to have been selected by the Film Federation of India, but became a victim of the internal politics. I am of the view that the only reason our films haven’t been winning Oscars is that they do not possess quality.


MSM Desai